Hi All
After a long break, I've managed half a day working on my (web-based)
accessible RSS aggregator project.
Whilst still incomplete, things have moved on. New features are:
* Discovery of RSS resources when pointed at a web page with the
appropriate rel="alternate" links. (This works on the W3C and CNN sites
and my web log, but may still have issues.)
* The ability to perform bulk operations - select items for trash or
archive using checkboxes, then selecting the action. (This is
considerably quicker than using the individual trash/archive links.)
I think that the controls are probably still too "busy" and maybe
annoying for screenreader users. (Comments?)
Now that I have reached this stage, my next move is to implement extra
features for accessing the linked content, such as the option to open in
a new window for those that like this, along with a "stop" page to
provide more detail before following a link. (Thanks to David Poehlman
for that concept.)
>From there, I see the next step being per-user customisation based on
specific adaptability requirements.
The aggregator, which is written in Perl, can be tested at
<http://www.websticky.net/aggiegpl/aggie.pl> - downloads for personal
experimentation/modification/general abuse are available. To run it
yourself, you will need Perl, MySQL and a web server. I have only
tested on a Linux server running Apache 2. This version of the
aggregator is - and always will be - free.
Feedback always welcome, especially regarding adaptation for specific
user needs. (I'll be trying to factor in the new dc:adaptability
metadata as soon as I am able.)
Cheers
M
--
Matthew Smith
South Australia
http://www.kbc.net.au